MANILA -- Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente issued a warning against fake immigration agents harassing foreign nationals in the country.

In an advisory, Morente stated that they received reports that unscrupulous individuals who present themselves as BI agents harass and sometimes extort aliens.

“A victim sent us a letter for verification of a notice he received via courier, inviting him to the BI office in connection to a purported investigation, lest be charged and deported,” said Morente.

The said letter was signed by a certain Special Agent Juanito Balmas, who, upon verification is not an employee of the BI.

“The victim was being asked to appear before the BI on a Saturday,” said Morente. “We have no office during Saturdays. We suspect that whoever was trying to harass him will meet him nearby and possibly extort money from him,” he added.

Morente said that in the past, the BI has warned against numerous modi operandi involving fake employees.

Morente clarified that legal notices are sent to foreign nationals using the BI’s official letterhead, signed by legitimate employees of the agency. He added that the contact information of all the

BI offices nationwide may be found at the BI’s website at www.immigration.gov.ph, should the public wish to verify communication sent to them. (BI)